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PGC Southwest region
Ohiopyle State Park Hunting Notes
Access rules, 2026-27 WMU 2C dates for whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys and pheasants, deer harvest and the nearest towns.
Photo: Britt Reints (CC BY 2.0)
Where Ohiopyle State Park sits and how big it is
Ohiopyle State Park is a DCNR state park with areas opened to hunters in Fayette County, inside WMU 2C. It is managed by the DCNR Bureau of State Parks. Size on record: 20,000 acres open to hunting, 1st among 92 state parks. DCNR maps the whole park at 20,480 acres. Nearest town guide: Farmington, 6 miles off; the area sits northeast of there.
Ohiopyle State Park: county context
| County | Seat | People (2024) | Land sq mi | WMUs | Special Regs Area | CWD feeding ban | CWD head bin | Bears 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette County | Uniontown | 123,941 | 791 | 2C, 2A | No | — | No | 30 |
From the source record (DCNR park hunting page (acres open to hunting): "During established seasons, hunting is permitted daily on approximately 20,000 acres, with the exception of migratory game bird hunting which remains "), counties and WMUs from the PGC county and WMU layers; county facts from the Census and the 2026-27 digest; bear counts from the PGC 2024 bear release. Checked October 12, 2026.
How hunting works on Ohiopyle State Park
The first card is specific to this ground; the rest are the statewide rules that matter most here.
Access rules here
Hunting is limited to the areas DCNR designates and to the PGC season dates. No woodchuck hunting in any state park.
Waterfowl and other migratory birds may not be hunted on Sundays. DCNR sets no extra firearm limits in this park.
Pheasants here
| Segment | Begins | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Junior hunt | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
| Regular season (male or female) | Oct 24, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 |
| Regular season (male or female) | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 |
| Falconry | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 |
The pheasant permit is mandatory, and free for junior and young mentored hunters.
Licenses and add-ons
The adult hunting license includes antlered deer, fall turkey and spring turkey tags and covers small game.
Two statewide rules
Wear it for small game and for all firearm deer, bear and elk hunting. Bowhunters in archery seasons and turkey, duck and furbearer hunters are exempt.
Sundays are open in every 2026-27 season except migratory birds, and there are no Sundays in the 2026 spring gobbler season.
Extra antlerless tags
The park is enrolled in DMAP. Permits cost $10.97 for residents and $35.97 for nonresidents, each good for one antlerless deer on the enrolled property.
Access for disabled hunters
DCNR lists accessible hunting options here for holders of its Mobility Device Permit.
The land itself at Ohiopyle State Park
Mapped features first, then what the agency writes about the place.
| What is there | Details |
|---|---|
| Pheasant stocking 2026-27 | 5 releases, 455 birds |
| Accessible hunting | Yes |
| DMAP | Yes |
From the the DCNR Bureau of State Parks description
Note: The more popular hunting locations are the Sugarloaf Recreational Area, Firetower Road and the Old Mitchell/Greenbriar area. Avoid the Wetland Treatment area off of Grover Road. Nearby: Adjacent State Game Lands 51 and 111 provide additional hunting and recreational opportunities.
Facts from the source record, pa.gov, PASDA, PGC AGOL layer; retrieved 2026-10-12, checked October 12, 2026.
The game on Ohiopyle State Park
Per the source, hunters come here for whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, pheasants, ducks and geese, furbearers and small game.
White-tailed deer
PGC estimates 34,400 deer taken in WMU 2C last season.
Black bear
In 2025, hunters checked 106 bears from WMU 2C.
Wild turkey
The spring 2024 estimate for WMU 2C is 3,415 birds.
Ring-necked pheasant
Statewide pheasant harvest, 2025: 214,577. This ground gets 455 birds over 5 releases.
Ducks and geese
Waterfowl zones are not county based; open the species pages. Canada goose
Furbearers (trapping)
Furtakers and hunters took 50,350 red foxes in 2025.
Small game
The 2025 Game Take Survey puts the rabbit harvest at 66,555.
Species from the area record; bag limits and seasons from the PGC seasons and bag limits; harvest from PGC deer report, PGC harvest data and PGC turkey report. Checked October 12, 2026.
Every 2026-27 hunting season in Ohiopyle State Park
Archery, rifle, flintlock and small game segments for WMU 2C. Where only part of Ohiopyle State Park is covered, the unit is named.
| Species | Season | Where | Opens | Closes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Agricultural Deer Control (Ag Tag, antlerless only) | This area | Aug 1, 2026 | Apr 15, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery (antlered and antlerless) | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | October muzzleloader (antlerless only) | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Special firearms (antlerless only) | Statewide | Oct 22, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Rifle (antlered and antlerless) | Statewide | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery (antlered and antlerless) | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Extended regular firearms (antlerless only) | This area | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Flintlock (antlered or antlerless) | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Archery | This area | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Oct 22, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Special firearms | Statewide | Oct 22, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Rifle | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall season (male or female) | This area | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall season (male or female) | This area | Nov 25, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring gobbler youth hunt | Statewide | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring gobbler season (morning only) | Statewide | May 1, 2027 | May 15, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring gobbler season (all day) | Statewide | May 16, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Regular | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Junior hunt | Statewide | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (male or female) | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (male or female) | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Regular | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Cottontail | Junior hunt | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Regular | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Regular | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Regular | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Squirrels | Junior hunt | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Squirrels | Regular | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Squirrels | Regular | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodchuck | Regular | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Woodchuck | Regular | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Crow | Regular (Thursday-Sunday only) | Statewide | Aug 20, 2026 | Mar 21, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Fox | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Porcupine | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | |
| Porcupine | Hunting | Statewide | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Porcupine | Hunting | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Mourning dove | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | |
| Mourning dove | Regular | Statewide | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 2, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Regular | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 8, 2026 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | This area | Jan 9, 2027 | Feb 3, 2027 | |
| Opossum, striped skunk and weasel | Hunting | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Starling and English sparrow | No closed season | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Gallinules | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Virginia and sora rails | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Regular | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 8, 2026 |
From the Pennsylvania Game Commission seasons and bag limits and the 2026-27 digest, checked October 12, 2026.
Ohiopyle State Park: unit allocation and harvest trend
There is no harvest figure for a single game land; WMU numbers are the closest published level.
| Unit | Sq mi | SGL | Points rule | Allocation | Up/down | Sold out on | CWD | 2025-26 deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU 2C | 2,934 | 246 | 3 points, one side | 117,000 | +24,000 | 10/18 | Yes | 34,400 |
Range on the chart: 15,200 (2016) up to 34,400 (2025). In 2025-26 the split was 11,400 antlered and 23,000 antlerless. Season split: archery 11,320, firearms 21,200, muzzleloader 1,880. PGC set 117,000 antlerless licenses for WMU 2C in 2026-27 (+24,000 from last year).
WMU 2C is on the list of units with CWD; follow the statewide disposal rule for high-risk parts. CWD guide
WMU areas from the PGC WMU pages; antlerless allocations from the PGC allocation; deer harvest from the 2025-26 PGC report and the PGC historic harvest dashboard; bears from PGC releases; turkeys from PGC job report. Checked October 12, 2026.
How Ohiopyle State Park fits with nearby ground
Rows link to each area’s page; miles are straight-line.
Same counties, other ground
| Unit | Type | Counties | Acres | From here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forbes State Forest | State forest | Somerset, Fayette, Westmoreland | 59,000 | 12 mi |
| State Game Lands 51 | State Game Lands | Fayette | 16,945 | 7 mi |
| Laurel Ridge State Park | State park | Somerset, Westmoreland, Cambria | 13,000 | 44 mi |
| State Game Lands 111 | State Game Lands | Somerset, Fayette | 10,286 | 6 mi |
| State Game Lands 138 | State Game Lands | Fayette | 2,879 | 14 mi |
| State Game Lands 296 | State Game Lands | Westmoreland, Fayette | 2,616 | 21 mi |
| State Game Lands 238 | State Game Lands | Fayette | 776 | 23 mi |
| State Game Lands 265 | State Game Lands | Fayette | 524 | 6 mi |
| Youghiogheny River Lake | Corps lake | Fayette | — | 7 mi |
Ohiopyle State Park on the map, with its neighbors
Map of Ohiopyle State Park (orange) and the public ground within 25 miles. Forbes State Forest (59,000 acres) is the largest nearby.
| Area | Category | Acreage | Straight line | Direction | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Game Lands 265 | State Game Lands | 524 | 6 mi | south | 2C |
| State Game Lands 111 | State Game Lands | 10,286 | 6 mi | east | 2C |
| State Game Lands 51 | State Game Lands | 16,945 | 7 mi | northwest | 2C |
| Youghiogheny River Lake | Corps lake | — | 7 mi | southeast | 2C |
| Forbes State Forest | State forest | 59,000 | 12 mi | west | 2C |
| State Game Lands 271 | State Game Lands | 1,849 | 13 mi | southeast | 2C |
| State Game Lands 138 | State Game Lands | 2,879 | 14 mi | west | 2C |
| Laurel Hill State Park | State park | 2,200 | 16 mi | northeast | 2C |
| State Game Lands 296 | State Game Lands | 2,616 | 21 mi | northwest | 2A |
| State Game Lands 238 | State Game Lands | 776 | 23 mi | west | 2A |
| State Game Lands 50 | State Game Lands | 3,232 | 23 mi | east | 2C |
| Laurel Summit State Park | State park | 5 | 24 mi | northeast | 2C |
Points from PGC, DCNR, USFS, USFWS and NPS GIS layers (DCNR State Parks boundary GIS via PASDA (polygon centroid)). Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
Practice before hunting Ohiopyle State Park
State Game Lands 51 Public Shooting Range in Fayette County is the nearest State Game Lands range, 8 miles out. Two nearby club or private ranges follow.
From the PGC Shooting Ranges layer and the Game Commission range rules, checked October 12, 2026.
Towns, processors and offices near Ohiopyle State Park
Towns with a guide on this site, then local businesses.
| Town | County | Miles off | Area direction | People | Public acres (10 mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmington | Fayette | 6 mi | northeast | — | 37,840 |
| Confluence | Somerset | 7 mi | northwest | 701 | 18,301 |
| Connellsville | Fayette | 12 mi | southeast | 6,682 | 18,353 |
| Uniontown | Fayette | 13 mi | east | 9,554 | 27,545 |
Local help
Offices for this ground
Towns and populations from the Census 2024 estimates and Gazetteer; public acres within 10 miles from PGC, DCNR and federal layers; businesses from Hunters Sharing the Harvest, PDA, store locators and listings; offices from PGC and DCNR pages. Checked October 12, 2026. Call ahead.
Seven days of shooting time for Ohiopyle State Park
The Game Commission window is sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset plus 30 for deer, bear, turkey and small game; migratory birds end at sunset.
Times worked out for Ohiopyle State Park in Eastern time from the rule in the Pennsylvania Game Commission digest (shooting hours). Some furbearers may be taken at night; check the digest. Shooting hours for every county.
Kit for hunting Ohiopyle State Park
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Hang-on tree stand
Most Pennsylvania deer hunters sit in hardwood ridges, on benches and along laurel edges.
Ohiopyle State Park, asked and answered
When can I bowhunt Ohiopyle State Park?
Archery Oct 3 to Nov 20, 2026; rifle Nov 28 to Dec 13, 2026. Flintlock and late archery are in the table.
Can I hunt Ohiopyle State Park on a Sunday this season?
Sunday hunting is legal in all seasons except migratory birds this license year.
Is fluorescent orange required on Ohiopyle State Park?
250 square inches on head, chest and back in small game and firearms big game seasons.
How much do licenses cost for Ohiopyle State Park?
The general license ($20.97 resident) plus any add-ons for your game. Add the $26.97 pheasant permit for stocked birds.
What game does the agency list for Ohiopyle State Park?
The area lists whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, pheasants, ducks and geese, furbearers and small game.
How many pheasants are released on Ohiopyle State Park?
5 releases, 455 birds this season.
Is there more public ground near Ohiopyle State Park?
Try State Game Lands 265 (6 miles), State Game Lands 111 (6 miles) and State Game Lands 51 (7 miles); each has its own page here.
How many deer come out of the unit around Ohiopyle State Park?
PGC estimates 34,400 deer for WMU 2C in 2025-26; no figure exists for Ohiopyle State Park alone.
Does the agency publish a map of Ohiopyle State Park?
The official map or page is linked at the top of this page.
What was the bear harvest around Ohiopyle State Park?
Fayette County: 30 bears in 2024.
What sort of ground is Ohiopyle State Park?
It is a DCNR state park with areas opened to hunters, managed by the DCNR Bureau of State Parks.
Ohiopyle State Park: confirm before you go
Rules on public ground change more often than the digest. Recheck Ohiopyle State Park with the agency before you go.
Sources for this page: pa.gov: hunting · pa.gov: hunting · PASDA: MapServer 8 · PGC AGOL layer: FeatureServer 100; regulations from the 2026-27 PGC digest. Checked October 12, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS/Southeast (Public domain); Department of the Interior. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. National Conservation Training Center. 10/1997-8888 (Public domain).